Method and apparatus for a well employing the use of an activation ball

ABSTRACT

A system includes a tubular string and a hollow ball. The tubular string is adapted to be deployed downhole in a well and includes a seat. An activation ball adapted to be deployed in the well to lodge in the seat. The ball includes an outer shell that forms a spherical surface. The outer shell forms an enclosed volume therein, and the outer shell is formed from a metallic material.

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/364,267 entitled, “HOLLOWMETALLIC ACTIVATION BALL,” which was filed on Jul. 14, 2010, and whichis hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This applicationalso claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/363,547 entitled, “ALLOY METALLICACTIVATION BALL,” which was filed on Jul. 12, 2010, and which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for a wellemploying the use of an activation ball.

BACKGROUND

For purposes of preparing a well for the production of oil and gas, atleast one perforating gun may be deployed into the well via a deploymentmechanism, such as a wireline or a coiled tubing string. Shaped chargesof the perforating gun(s) may then be fired when the gun(s) areappropriately positioned to form perforating tunnels into thesurrounding formation and possibly perforate a casing of the well, ifthe well is cased. Additional operations may be performed in the well toincrease the well's permeability, such as well stimulation operationsand operations that involve hydraulic fracturing, acidizing, etc. Duringthese operations, various downhole tools may be used, which requireactivation and/or deactivation. As non-limiting examples, these toolsmay include fracturing valves, expandable underreamers and linerhangers.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a system includes a tubular string and an activationball. The tubular string is adapted to be deployed in the well, and theactivation ball is adapted to be deployed in the tubular string to lodgein the seat. The activation ball includes an outer shell that forms aspherical surface. The outer shell forms an enclosed volume therein, andthe outer shell is formed from a metallic material.

In another embodiment, a technique includes deploying an activation ballin a downhole tubular string in a well. The activation ball includes anouter shell that has an enclosed volume therein. The outer shellincludes a metallic material. The technique includes communicating theball through a passageway of the tubular string until the ball lodges ina seat of the string to form an obstruction (or fluid tight barrier),and the method includes using the obstruction to pressurize a region ofthe string.

Other features and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a well according to an embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting a technique using an activation ballin a well according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are cross-sectional views of an exemplaryball-activated tool of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an activation ball in accordancewith embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an activation ball in accordancewith embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an activation ball in accordancewith embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an activation ball in accordance withembodiments disclosed herein.

FIGS. 7B-7D are cross-sectional views of a portion of an activation ballin accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 7E is a perspective view of a portion of an activation ball inaccordance with embodiments disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and techniques are disclosed herein for purposes of using alight weight activation ball to activate a downhole tool. Such anactivation ball may be used in a well 10 that is depicted in FIG. 1. Forthis example, the well 10 includes a wellbore 12 that extends throughone or more reservoir formations. Although depicted in FIG. 1 as being amain vertical wellbore, the wellbore 12 may be a deviated or horizontalwellbore, in accordance with other embodiments of the invention.

As depicted in FIG. 1, a tubular string 20 (a casing string, as anon-limiting example) extends into the wellbore 12 and includes packers22, which are radially expanded, or “set,” for purposes of formingcorresponding annular seal(s) between the outer surface of the tubularstring 20 and the wellbore wall. The packers 22, when set formcorresponding isolated zones 30 (zones 30 a, 30 b and 30 c beingdepicted in FIG. 1, as non-limiting examples), in which may be performedvarious completion operations. In this manner, after the tubular string20 is run into the wellbore 12 and the packers 22 are set, completionoperations may be performed in one zone 30 at a time for purposes ofperforming such completion operations as fracturing, stimulation,acidizing, etc., depending on the particular implementation.

For purposes of selecting a given zone 30 for a completion operation,the tubular string 20 includes tools that are selectively operated usinglight weight activation balls 36. As described herein, each activationball 36 is constructed from an outer metallic shell and may be hollow,in accordance with some implementations.

For the particular non-limiting example that is depicted in FIG. 1, thedownhole tools are sleeve valves 33. In general, for this example, eachsleeve valve 33 is associated with a given zone 30 and includes a sleeve34 that is operated via a deployed activation ball 36 to selectivelyopen the sleeve 34. In this regard, in accordance with some embodimentsof the invention, the sleeve valves 33 are all initially configured tobe closed when installed in the well as part of the string 20. Referringto FIG. 3A in conjunction with FIG. 1, when closed (as depicted in zones30 b and 30 c), the sleeve 34 covers radial ports 32 (formed in ahousing 35 of the sleeve valve 33, which is concentric with the tubularstring 30) to block fluid communication between a central passageway 21of the tubular string 20 and the annulus of the associated zone 30.Although not shown in these figures, the sleeve valve 33 has associatedseals (o-rings, for example) for purposes of sealing off fluidcommunication through the radial ports 32.

The sleeve valve 33 may be opened by deployment of a given activationball 36, as depicted in zone 30 a of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3B inconjunction with FIG. 1, in this regard, the activation ball 36 isdeployed from the surface of the well and travels downhole (in thedirection of arrow “A”) through the central passageway 21 to eventuallylodge in a seat 38 of the sleeve 34. Referring to FIG. 3C in conjunctionwith FIG. 1, when lodged in the seat 38, an obstruction (or fluid tightbarrier) is created, which allows fluid pressure to be increased (byoperating fluid pumps at the surface of the well, for example) to exerta downward force on the sleeve 34 due to the pressure differential(i.e., a high pressure “P_(high)” above the ball 36 and a low pressure“P_(low)” below the ball 36) to cause the sleeve valve 33 to open andthereby allow fluid communication through the associated radial ports32.

Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with an exemplary, non-limitingembodiment, the seats 38 of the sleeve valves 33 are graduated such thatthe inner diameters of the seats 38 become progressively smaller fromthe surface of the well toward the end, or toe, of the wellbore 12. Dueto the graduated openings, a series of varying diameter hollowactivation balls 36 may be used to select and activate a given sleevevalve. In this manner, for the exemplary arrangement described herein,the smallest outer diameter activation ball 36 is first deployed intothe central passageway 21 of the tubular string 20 for purposes ofactivating the lowest sleeve valve. For the example depicted in FIG. 1,the activation ball 36 that is used to activate the sleeve valve 33 forthe zone 30 a is thereby smaller than the corresponding hollowactivation ball 36 (not shown) that is used to activate the sleeve valve33 for the zone 30 b. In a corresponding manner, an activation ball 36(not shown) that is of a yet larger outer diameter may be used activatethe sleeve valve 33 for the zone 30 c, and so forth.

Although FIG. 1 depicts a system of varying, fixed diameter seats 38,other systems may be used in accordance with other embodiments of theinvention. For example, in accordance with other embodiments of theinvention, a tubular string may contain valve seats that are selectivelyplaced in “object catching states” by hydraulic control lines, forexample. Regardless of the particular system used, a tubular stringincludes at least one downhole tool that is activated by an activationball, which is deployed through a passageway of the string. Thus, othervariations are contemplated and are within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Removing a given activation ball 36 from its seat 38 may be used torelieve the pressure differential resulting from the obstruction of thepassageway 37 (see FIG. 3C) through the sleeve valve 33. A seatedactuation ball 36 may be removed from the seat 38 in a number ofdifferent ways. As non-limiting examples, the activation ball 36 may bemade of a drillable material so that activation ball 36 may be milled toallow fluid flow through the central passageway 21. Alternatively, thevalve seat 38, the sleeve 34 or the activation ball 36 may beconstructed from a deformable material, such that the activation ball 36may be extruded through the seat 38 at a higher pressure, therebyopening the central passageway 21. As yet another example, the flow offluid through the central passageway 21 may be reversed so that theactivation ball 36 may be pushed upwardly through the central passageway21 toward the surface of the well. In this manner, a reverse circulationflow may be established between the central passageway 21 and theannulus to retrieve the ball 36 to the surface of the well. By reversingfluid flow to dislodge the activation ball 36, the activation ball 36 isnon-destructably removed from the well so that both the activation ball36 and the corresponding sleeve valve may be reused.

When the activation ball 36 is retrieved by flowing fluid upwardlythrough the central passageway 21, the activation ball 36 may have aparticular specific gravity so that upwardly flowing fluid can removethe activation ball 36 from the seat 38. While the specific gravity ofthe activation ball 36 may be a relatively important constraint, theactivation ball 36 should be able to withstand the impact of seating inthe seat 38, the building of a pressure differential across the ball 36and the higher temperatures present in the downhole environment. Thefailure of the activation ball 36 to maintain its shape and structureduring use may lead to failure of the downhole tool, such as the sleevevalve. For example, deformation of the activation ball 36 under impactloads, high pressure for high temperatures may conceivably prevent theactivation ball 36 from properly sealing against the seat 38, therebypreventing the effective buildup of a pressure differential. In otherscenarios, the deformation of the activation ball 36 may cause theactivation ball 36 to slide through the seat 38 and to become lodged inthe sleeve 34, such that it may be relatively challenging to remove theactivation ball 36.

In embodiments where activation ball 36 is designed to be retrieved byflowing fluid upwardly through the central passageway 21, the activationball 36 may have the following specific physical properties.Specifically, the activation ball 36 may have a particular specificgravity so that the upward flowing fluid can remove the activation ball36 from the seat 38 and carry it upward through central passageway 21.While the specific gravity of the activation ball 36 may be a relativelyimportant constraint, the activation ball 36 may also be able towithstand the impact of seating in the downhole tool, the building of apressure differential across the activation ball 36, and the hightemperatures of a downhole environment. Failure of the activation ball36 to maintain its shape and structure during use may lead to failure ofthe downhole tool. For example, deformation of the activation ball 36under impact loads, high pressures, or high temperatures may preventactivation ball 36 from properly sealing against seat 38, therebypreventing the effective build up of a pressure differential. In otherscenarios, deformation of the activation ball 36 may cause theactivation ball 36 to slide through the seat 38 and to become lodged inthe sleeve 34, such that conventional means of removing activation ball112 may be ineffective.

As disclosed herein, traditional activation balls may be solid spheres,which are constructed from plastics, such as for example,polyetheretherketone, or fiber-reinforced plastics, such as, forexample, fiber-reinforced phenolic. While a traditional activation ballmay meet specific gravity requirements, inconsistency in materialproperties between batches may present challenges such that theactivation balls may be overdesigned so that their strength ratings,pressure ratings and temperature ratings are conservative. In accordancewith embodiments of the disclosed herein, the activation ball 36 isconstructed out of a metallic shell and as such, may be a hollow ball orsphere, which permits the activation ball 36 to have desired strengthproperties while being light enough to allow removal of the ball 36 fromthe well.

Referring to FIG. 2, thus, in accordance with some embodiments of theinvention, a technique 50 includes deploying (block 52) a shell-basedactivation ball, such as a hollow activation ball, into a tubular stringin a well and allowing (block 54) the ball to lodge in a seat of thestring. The technique 50 includes using (block 56) an obstructioncreated by the activation ball lodging in the seat to increase fluidpressure in the tubular string and using (block 58) the increased fluidpressure to activate a downhole tool.

Referring to FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of a hollow activation ball200 in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein is shown. Hollowactivation ball 200 includes an outer shell 202 having an enclosedhollow volume 204. Outer shell 202 may be formed from a first portion206 and a second portion 208 which may be joined together using joiningmethods such as, for example, welding, friction stir welding, threading,adhering, pressure fitting, and/or mechanical fastening. As shown inFIG. 4, first and second portions 206, 208 of outer shell 202 are joinedusing a weld 210; however, those of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that any known method of joining two parts may be used.

In certain embodiments, outer shell 202 may be formed from a metallicmaterial. The metallic material may include a metallic alloy such as,for example, aluminum alloy and/or magnesium alloy. Aluminum alloys fromthe 6000 series and 7000 series may be used such as, for example, 6061aluminum alloy or 7075 aluminum alloy. Although the specific gravity ofmost metallic materials is greater than 2.0, a hollow activation ball200 in accordance with the present disclosure may have a specificgravity less than 2.0. Preferably, the specific gravity of hollowactivation ball 200 in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein isbetween about 1.00 and about 1.85.

Referring to FIG. 5, a cross-section view of an activation ball 300 inaccordance with embodiments disclosed herein is shown. Similar to hollowactivation ball 200 (FIG. 4), hollow activation ball 300 includes anouter shell 302 having an enclosed volume 304. Outer shell 302 may beformed from a first portion 306 and a second portion 308, joinedtogether using threads 320. One of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that other joining or coupling methods may be used such as,for example, welding. Hollow activation ball 300 may further include acoating 322 disposed over an outer surface of outer shell 302. Coating322 may be a corrosion resistant material such as, for example,polytetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkoxy copolymer resin, fluorinatedethylene propylene resin, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidenefluoride, ceramic material, and/or an epoxy-based coating material. Incertain embodiments, coating 322 may include Fluorolon® 610-E, availablefrom Southwest Impreglon of Houston, Tex.

Coating 322 may be between 0.001 and 0.005 inches thick, and may beapplied by dipping outer shell 302 in the coating material, by sprayingthe coating material onto outer shell 302, by rolling outer shell 302through the coating material, or by any other known coating applicationmethod. In certain embodiments, coating 322 may include a plating, ananodized layer, and/or a laser cladding. The coating material and thethickness of coating 322 may be selected such that activation ball 300has an overall specific gravity between about 1.00 and about 1.85.Additionally, the coating material may be chosen to provide activationball 300 with improved properties such as, for example, improvedcorrosion resistance and/or improved abrasion resistance. Specifically,the coating material may be selected to prevent a reaction between themetallic material of outer shell 302 and downhole fluids such asdrilling mud or produced fluid.

Referring to FIG. 6, a cross-section view of an activation ball inaccordance with embodiments disclosed herein is shown. Hollow activationball 400 includes an outer shell 402 having an enclosed volume 404.Outer shell 402 may include a first portion 406 and a second portion 408joined using an interference fit 424; however, other joining methodssuch as welding, adhering, and threading may be used. Enclosed volume404 may include a fill material 426 to provide additional support toshell 402 under high impact loads, pressures, and temperatures. Incertain embodiments, fill material 426 may include at least one of aplastic, a thermoplastic, a foam, and a fiber reinforced phenolic. Fillmaterial 426 may be selected such that the overall specific gravity ofactivation ball 400 is between about 1.00 and about 1.85. Althoughactivation ball 400 is not shown including a coating, a coating may beadded similar to coating 322 shown on activation ball 300 (FIG. 5).

In other embodiments, hollow volume 404 may be filled with a gas suchas, for example, nitrogen. The gas may be pressurized to provide supportwithin outer shell 402 which may allow activation ball 400 to maintainits spherical shape under high impact loads, pressures, andtemperatures. Hollow volume 404 may be filled with gas using an openingor port (not shown) disposed in outer shell 402. After a desired amountof gas is pumped into hollow volume 404 and a desired internal pressureis reached, the port (not shown) may be sealed or capped to prevent gasfrom leaking out of activation ball 400.

Referring to FIG. 7A, a perspective view of a joined outer shell 502including a first portion 506 and a second portion 508 in accordancewith embodiments disclosed herein is shown. Referring now to FIG. 7B, aside cross-sectional view of second portion 508 of outer shell 502 isshown. Only second portion 508 of outer shell 502 is shown forsimplicity, and those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatthe corresponding first portion 506 may be substantially the same assecond portion 508.

Outer shell 502 includes a hollow volume 504, an inner surface 528, anda support structure 530 disposed on the inner surface 528. Supportstructure 530 may include a reinforcing ring 532 as shown which may becoupled to inner surface 528 of second portion 508 of outer shell 502.Although only one reinforcing ring 532 is shown, those of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that multiple reinforcing rings may be usedhaving any desired thickness, t, and any desired maximum width, w.Additionally, although an inner face 534 of reinforcing ring 532 isshown parallel to a central axis 536 of second portion 508, inner face534 may alternatively be angled relative to central axis 536, or may bearced to correspond with the curve of inner surface 528.

Referring to FIG. 7C, a side cross-sectional view of second portion 508of outer shell 502 is shown having a second type of support structure530 disposed therein. Ribs 538 are shown disposed on inner surface 528of second portion 508. Ribs 538 may take any shape or size, and mayextend along inner surface 528 in any desired direction. As shown, ribs538 a, 538 b, and 538 c intersect each other at junction 540; however, aplurality of ribs 538 may be positioned within second portion 508 suchthat no contact between ribs 538 occurs.

Referring to FIG. 7D, a side cross-sectional view of second portion 508of outer shell 502 is shown having a third type of support structure 530disposed therein. Specifically, spindles 542 may be used to help supportouter shell 502, thereby maintaining the shape of outer shell 502 underhigh pressures, impact loads, and temperatures. In certain embodiments,a plurality of spindles 542 may extend radially outwardly from a centerpoint 446 of an assembled activation ball 500, and may contact innersurface 528 of second portion 508 at an intersection 544. While specificexamples of support structure configurations have been described, one ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other support structureconfigurations may be used without departing from the scope ofembodiments disclosed herein.

Support structures 530 such as, for example, reinforcing rings 532, ribs538, and spindles 542, shown in FIGS. 7B-7D, may be formed from aplastic, metal, ceramic, and/or composite material. Specifically, metalsupport structures may be formed from cast iron or low grade steel. Incertain embodiments, support structures 530 may be formed integrallywith first or second portions 506, 508 of outer shell 502.Alternatively, support structures 530 may be formed separately and maybe assembled within outer shell 502 using welding, brazing, adhering,mechanical fastening, and/or interference fitting. Those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that materials, designs, and dimensionsof support structures 530 may be selected to provide increased strengthto outer shell 502 while maintaining an overall specific gravity ofactivation ball 500 between about 1.00 and about 1.85.

Referring to FIG. 7E, a perspective view of a first portion 506 of outershell 502 of activation ball 500 is shown. Support structure 530 isshown disposed in hollow volume 504 of first portion 506. The supportstructure 530 is an assembly of reinforcing rings 532, ribs 538, and aspindle 542. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatvarious configurations of reinforcing rings 532, ribs 538, and spindles542 may be used to create a support structure 530. Additionally,although not specifically shown, a support structure 530 as discussedabove may be used in combination with a fill material injected intoenclosed volume 504.

In certain embodiments, enclosed volume 504 may also be used to houseequipment such as, for example, sensors. Sensors configured to measurepressure, temperature, and/or depth may be disposed within enclosedvolume 504. Data collected by the sensors may be stored in a storagedevice enclosed within volume 504, or the data may be relayed to thesurface of the wellbore.

Additionally, equipment such as, for example, receivers, transmitters,transceivers, and transponders, may be disposed within enclosed volume504 and may send and/or receive signals to interact with downhole tools.For example, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags may be used asactivation devices for triggering an electrical device in anotherdownhole tool. For example, as the activation ball housing RFID tagspasses through the wellbore, the RFID tags may activate a timer linkedto the electrical device, which may lead to the performance of a desiredtask. In certain embodiments, a frac valve may be opened by initiating acorresponding timer using RFID tags and/or magnets housed within anactivation ball. A magnet disposed within enclosed volume 504 may alsobe used to trigger and/or actuate downhole tools.

An activation ball in accordance with some embodiments may bemanufactured by forming an outer shell out of a metallic material,wherein the outer shell includes an enclosed volume therein. In certainembodiments, the outer shell may be formed from a magnesium alloy, analuminum alloy, a steel alloy, or nickel-cobalt base alloy.Specifically, an aluminum alloy may be selected from 6000 seriesaluminum alloys or 7000 series aluminum alloys, and a steel alloy may beselected from 4000 series steel alloys. In particular 4140 steel may beused. A nickel-cobalt base alloy such as, for example MP35N® may also beused. For ease of manufacturing, the outer shell may be made up ofmultiple portions joined together using, for example, welding, frictionstir welding, brazing, adhering, threading, mechanical fastening, and/orpressure fitting. A wall thickness, tw, may vary depending on thematerial selected for outer shell 502, so that an overall specificgravity of activation ball 500 between about 1.00 and about 1.85 may beachieved. An activation ball formed from high strength materials such asMP35N® or 4140 steel may have an overall specific gravity of about 1.2.The low specific gravity of an activation ball formed from MP35N or 4140steel may greatly increase the likelihood of recovering the activationball using reversed fluid flow through the center bore in which theactivation ball is seated.

In some embodiments, manufacturing the activation ball may furtherinclude filling the enclosed volume within the outer shell with a fillmaterial such as, for example, plastic, thermoplastic, polyether etherketone, fiber reinforced phenolic, foam, liquid, or gas. The outer shellenclosed volume may be filled such that a pressure inside of the outershell is greater than atmospheric pressure, thereby providing theactivation ball with increased strength against impact loads and highpressures.

Alternatively, a rigid support structure may be provided within theenclosed volume of the outer shell. As discussed above, reinforcingrings, ribs, and spindles may be used separately or in combination toform the support structure. The support structure may be formedintegrally with the outer shell by machining, casting, or sintering theouter shell. In another embodiment, the support structure may be formedas a separate component and may be later installed within the outershell. In embodiments having a support structure fabricated separatelyfrom the outer shell, the support structure may be installed usingwelding, brazing, adhering, mechanical fastening, and/or pressurefitting. The support structure may be designed such that, when assembledwithin the activation ball, pressure applied by the support structure tothe inner surface of the outer shell is greater than atmosphericpressure.

Advantageously, embodiments disclosed herein provide for an activationball having increased strength under impact loads, high pressures, andhigh temperatures, while having an overall specific gravity betweenabout 1.00 and about 1.85. Activation balls in accordance with thepresent disclosure may also have greater durability than activationballs formed from composite materials which degrade over time. Further,activation balls having a metal shell as disclosed herein may be morereliable due to the consistency of mechanical properties betweendifferent batches of metallic materials. Because of the consistency ofmechanical properties of metallic materials, and because of their highstrength, activation balls in accordance with the present invention canbe designed to have less contact area between the activation ball and acorresponding bearing area. As such, activation balls disclosed hereinmay allow for an increased number of ball activated downhole tools to beused on a single drill string. As a non-limiting example, by using anactivation ball described in the embodiments above, approximately twelvefracturing valves (such as the sleeve valves 33) may be used during amulti-stage fracturing process, whereas approximately eight fracturingvalves may be used with traditional activation balls.

While the present invention has been described with respect to a limitednumber of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit ofthis disclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variationstherefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all suchmodifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope ofthis present invention

1. A system comprising: a tubular string adapted to be deployed downholein a well, the string comprising a seat; and an activation ball adaptedto be deployed in the tubular string to lodge in the seat, the ballcomprising an outer shell forming a spherical surface, wherein the outershell forms an enclosed volume therein and the outer shell is formedfrom a metallic material.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising atool comprising the seat, wherein the ball is adapted to lodge in theseat to create an obstruction such that fluid pressure created due tothe obstruction activates the tool.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe seat comprises one of a plurality of seats of the string.
 4. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the seats have form a set of graduatedopenings to allow each of the seats to be selectively targeted by anactivation ball having a size associated with the seat.
 5. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the outer shell comprises a first portion joined to asecond portion.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first portion andthe second portions are joined using at least one selected from a groupconsisting of welding, friction stir welding, threading, and pressurefitting.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the metallic materialcomprises at least one selected from a group consisting of aluminumalloy, magnesium alloy, nickel-cobalt base alloy, and steel.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy is one selected from agroup consisting of 6000 series aluminum alloys and 7000 series aluminumalloys.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a coating disposedon the spherical surface of the outer shell.
 10. The system of claim 1,wherein the enclosed volume is hollow.
 11. The system of claim 1,wherein the enclosed volume comprises a filling, wherein the fillingcomprises at least one selected from a group consisting of plastic,foam, fiber reinforced phenolic, polyether ether ketone, thermoplastic,and pressurized gas.
 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising asupport structure disposed on an inner surface of the outer shell. 13.The system of claim 12, wherein the support structure comprises at leastone selected from a group consisting of ribs, spindles, and reinforcingrings.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the support structure isformed integral with the outer shell.
 15. The system of claim 12,wherein the support structure is connected to the inner surface of theouter shell using at least one selected from a group consisting ofwelding, brazing, adhering, mechanical fastening, and interferencefitting.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of theactivation ball is between about 1.00 and about 1.85.
 17. The system ofclaim 1, wherein a pressure inside the enclosed volume is greater thanatmospheric pressure.
 18. The system of claim 1, further comprisingequipment disposed within the enclosed volume, wherein the equipmentcomprises at least one selected from a group consisting of sensors,receivers, transceivers, transmitters, transponders, radio frequencyidentification tags, and magnets.
 19. A method comprising: deploying anactivation ball in a downhole tubular string in a well, the activationball comprising an outer shell having an enclosed volume therein,wherein the outer shell comprises a metallic material; communicating theball through a passageway of the string until the ball lodges in a seatof the tubular string to form an obstruction; and using the obstructionto pressurize at region of the string.
 20. The method of claim 19,further comprising using the pressurization to activate a downhole tool.21. The method of claim 19, wherein the communicating comprises flowingthe ball through at least one other seat associated with a ball sizelarger than a size of the ball.
 22. The method of claim 19, furthercomprising: flowing the ball out of the seat and to the surface of thewell.
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the outer shell comprises atleast one selected from a group consisting of aluminum alloy, magnesiumalloy, nickel-cobalt base alloy, and steel.
 24. The method of claim 19,wherein the outer shell comprises at least two portions.
 25. The methodof claim 19, wherein the ball further comprises a fill material withinthe enclosed volume, the fill material being different from the shell.26. The method of claim 19, wherein the ball further comprises a supportstructure in the enclosed volume of the outer shell.
 27. The method ofclaim 26, wherein the support structure comprises at least one selectedfrom a group consisting of ribs, spindles, and reinforcing rings. 28.The method of claim 19, wherein a pressure within the enclosed volume ofthe outer shell is greater than atmospheric pressure.